While I'll confess to being one of those cinematic over the top guys who think flying into combat with a katana in one hand and a chainsaw in the other using them to deflect bullets and cut tanks in half sounds like all kinds of awesome, I would never try to do so on the basis that it's "realistic".  The gamer fanboyishness over specific weapons is pretty silly.  At some point, I'll have a character combine them all, and invent a Welsh longbow that fires .50 cal Desert Eagles, which in turn fire miniature katanas.  And hide it in my trenchcoat.

having quite a bit of experience with shotguns and chainsaws, I have to laugh at people who think that anything like you describe is possible.

While recoil is not that bad for 12ga, but it does kick. No adult male (or woman really) of a relatively normal size be knocked down by 12ga. That said if you are 12 like I was when I let loose with both barrels of a DB 12ga, you can find yourself on your ass.

its hard enough cutting something that is not moving with a chainsaw, I cant imagine trying to chase around someone an get with it. Unless you are very very strong, can box them in, or have a small saw there is now way you are going to catch someone with it.

Quote from: MaddmanI'll have a character combine them all, and invent a Welsh longbow that fires .50 cal Desert Eagles, which in turn fire miniature katanas.

I love you.

Quote from: McrowWhile recoil is not that bad for 12ga, but it does kick. No adult male (or woman really) of a relatively normal size be knocked down by 12ga. That said if you are 12 like I was when I let loose with both barrels of a DB 12ga, you can find yourself on your ass.

.

You obviously haven't seen the video of the muslim trying out the shotgun and being blown back into the door of the indoor shooting range.. that was awesome

Yeah, I was 12 years old, and an extremely scrawny 12-year old a that who was afraid of loud things. Nevertheless, I wanted more bloody merit badges and tried my damnest to that the Shotgun badge...no good.

I have much more fun with atlatls these days.

Maddman has it spot on about weapon fetishism/fanboyism. It's annoying and perpetuated by people who know jack shit about ballistics, materials sciences, history...anything really. I'm an archeology undergrad specializing in tool/weapon development (among other things) and it really gets my goat to see people ranting on about some weapon or other "like they saw it in a movie" as if it were their personal totem. Fuckers have to be compensating.

I think we can blame fans of the following things for this scientific/historical travesty: White Wolf, The Matrix, SCA and Anime. In other words: Exalted.

PS: Hey T-Willard, two things:
1. Can we have the email addresses of these "fans" so some real gun nuts and materials experts can administer a verbal beatdown?
2. Do your YotZ books have anything on re-application of primitive technology such as flintknapping? I'm planning on writing material on the making and use of stone/glass edges and was wondering if someone had already done it. You seemed a likely candidate.

Quote from: SpikeYou obviously haven't seen the video of the muslim trying out the shotgun and being blown back into the door of the indoor shooting range.. that was awesome

are you serious?

I'm not that damn big and I feel it kick, but I hardly move. Crap I shot a .45-125 once and that thing didn't budge me, it kicked like mule though.

Quote from: dsivis1. Can we have the email addresses of these "fans" so some real gun nuts and materials experts can administer a verbal beatdown?

Nope, I'd rather not. I usually just reply "I'll take your recommendations under consideration." then checkbox the email and delete it.

Quote2. Do your YotZ books have anything on re-application of primitive technology such as flintknapping? I'm planning on writing material on the making and use of stone/glass edges and was wondering if someone had already done it. You seemed a likely candidate.

Not yet. I'm holding that stuff off for "Pickaxes and Shovels" which will contain a bunch of weapons, skill usage for weapon creation, stone age equipment, PA creations, etc.

When the zombie apocalypse comes, I'd rather have shelter and an ample supply of food, water, and breathable air than a weapon anyday. Barring that, a cripple. Break chunks off and distract those bastards.

Quote from: beejazzWhen the zombie apocalypse comes, I'd rather have shelter and an ample supply of food, water, and breathable air than a weapon anyday.

Why not? After all, it worked great for the characters from the 1978 version of Dawn of Dead, huh?

Quote from: beejazzWhen the zombie apocalypse comes, I'd rather have shelter and an ample supply of food, water, and breathable air than a weapon anyday. Barring that, a cripple. Break chunks off and distract those bastards.

I'd go the Omega Man route, because it seems to me if one is to survive any kind of Apocalypse, you'd better discover your inner Charlton Heston pretty quick...

Regards,
David R

In case of zombies: Billy fucking Idol.  

Zombies are so much nothing compared to a healthy dose of MAN ELECTRICITY.

Quote from: T-WillardNot yet. I'm holding that stuff off for "Pickaxes and Shovels" which will contain a bunch of weapons, skill usage for weapon creation, stone age equipment, PA creations, etc.

It's also an ideal place to put "Bistro Two Zero: the Year of the Zombie cookbook." (a chapter about scavenging a balance diet).  I've got this lovely bit of flavour text that I've been trying to find a home for.  Lita brings back a pile of skinned and gutted meat to the camp.  It can't be Riser or human because they've managed to convince her that anything with two legs isn't for eating, but after some miming and based on the anatomy, they decide it's rabbit.  During consumption they realise it doesn't taste like rabbit ("And yet we're still eating it...")

A section on what an MRE actually looks like (you've spent entirely too much of you life living off of them, but us civvies have never seen one) with a sidebar on why you should avoid the curry ones.

I've got some more ideas, but I'll stick an email together.  I seem to remember that this is how I ended up writing Havens...

(Incidentally, I can't claim credit for "Bistro Two Zero", it's one of Garth Ennis's.  In the "Kev" stories, a thinly-veiled version of Andy McNabb has published an "SAS Cookbook" by that name)

Quote from: Mcroware you serious?

I'm not that damn big and I feel it kick, but I hardly move. Crap I shot a .45-125 once and that thing didn't budge me, it kicked like mule though.

God yes, for a while I couldn't avoid that damn video. 45 seconds of pure, unadulterated, belly shaking laughter as some poor bastards misfortune... aided by the national zeitgeist of 'towelheadism'.  

I'm not sure, but at least one file name claimed it was a 10 ga.  All I know was It was big, he was small... and there is a lot of arabic and yelling after he shoots. At least I think it was arabic. If it was Farsi, Beejaz can kick my ass later.

Quote from: T-WillardStill, people insist that katana are the ultimate weapon (It's made for slashing for the most part. Thrusting is asking that blade to snap),

I only see "Katana Lust" in the younger players (I'm 41).

I started my YotZ campaign a couple of months ago and had everyone create themselves as the characters - we just kinda guessed for the stats.  And still the two youngest players (19 and 21) were insistent that they had experience with Katana's.  I did not want to argue with them over that so I let it go.

At the first game - "Gunfight at the OK Diner" by the way - one of them whips out his katana and runs up to a slow moving Riser and says, "I aim for his neck"

I say, "OK, you are at a -8 to hit. Roll"

   And a miss...

Next Round

   Another miss...

Next Round

   Another miss...

It took him 6 misses and a couple of Near misses from the Zombie's bite to convince him that Close Combat with Risers is not fun.

Now he stands behind everyone else and takes pot shots with his Glock that he has no skill in using.

-RangerJim

Quote from: RangerJimI only see "Katana Lust" in the younger players (I'm 41).

I started my YotZ campaign a couple of months ago and had everyone create themselves as the characters - we just kinda guessed for the stats.  And still the two youngest players (19 and 21) were insistent that they had experience with Katana's.  I did not want to argue with them over that so I let it go.

At the first game - "Gunfight at the OK Diner" by the way - one of them whips out his katana and runs up to a slow moving Riser and says, "I aim for his neck"

I say, "OK, you are at a -8 to hit. Roll"

   And a miss...

Next Round

   Another miss...

Next Round

   Another miss...

It took him 6 misses and a couple of Near misses from the Zombie's bite to convince him that Close Combat with Risers is not fun.

Now he stands behind everyone else and takes pot shots with his Glock that he has no skill in using.

-RangerJim

Which makes me wonder.  While the idea that Katana's are super weapons is laughable, the idea that swords are particularly difficult to use is equally laughable.  Even aiming for the neck isn't that hard, and a miss with a swung object for the neck will still typically hit the shoulders or the head...

Six misses in a row at an apparently slow moving, possibly 'defenceless' target?  Christ, did he even have the ability to play baseball?  I can get a ten year old to hit an object the size of my fist that's moving 80 miles an hour with a two handed swung stick.  Surely even a gooney motherfucker can hit a man sized object with a swung metal bar with a sharp side.

He may not qualify for a Kendo championship, but by Doug, this is ridiculous sounding.